Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Q is for Quitting is for wimps

Of course that is much easier done than said but you’ve at least taken the first step in saying you do not want to be a quitter (which I already know you’re not).

Writing isn’t for the faint of heart. For those who are not writers you could be artists, photographers, painters, the path is still NOT for the faint of heart. It’s hard work, dedication, and the occasional cry fest. However if you’re in the business then you already know it’s worth it. You have those moments of clarity that keep you going.

Blogging is a way I stay on the positive side of life. All the support I get from my blogger friends and writer friends keep me motivated to push on. I have moments of quit but they don’t stay for long. You’re reminded why you do it, the passion that carries you the whole way. Those moments that let you know you’re not in it just because, but for more than that!

Finishing your first draft – Step One Revising until you want to die – Step Two thru One Hundred and Seventy Writing a Query – We stopped counting steps Sending the query to agents – Nerve-wrecking step We get rejected (multiple times) – No one wants to count but they do We get accepted – HOORAY!!! Dreaming this is step one. We get published – HOORAY!!! Again hoping this is a quick and speedy process

Each one of those steps is an accomplishment. Yes, even the rejection part. It’s part of what the process is all about. With each rejection you are one step closer to finding the one. So take a little risk and you’ll reap a little reward.

Me quit... never. If you don't know the pain and devastation of your craft then you're not doing something right. Writing is definitely not for the faint of heart. The more dedication you put in, the sweeter the reward at the end.

I don't think there's even the possibility that I could quit. I think writing is just a part of me, no matter what. So - any time things get tough and I feel a bit down about it - I tell myself "there's no crying in baseball" LOL.

"Revising until you want to die..." Yup, I'm there. Well, actually, I'm completely rewriting but you already know that. ((hugs)) Your encouragement means the world to so many even if they never tell you.

The best part about creative work is there is always a reward at the end that you are striving for. It may take artists (any kind) 100 (read: thousands of) failed attempts before getting it right, but when you finally do, it's bliss. :)

I signed up for the A-Z Challenge, and there's no way I'm going to quit now, having got two-thirds of the way through. I'm definitely a non-quitter - which is maybe why I can't quit cigarettes or chocolate!

I was going to do a post on quitting today, but I think you said it better than I would have. I love your list of steps. :D The only time I was exhausted and "I don't know what to do!", my friend told me, "Commit, Laura!" and I knew I had to anyway--the characters were too important to me to let go.

I'm a quitter in some respects. If a project becomes totally overwhelming, or I feel as though I've given it my best and it's not going anywhere, I'll either shelve it or take a hard look at it and decide to move on. There's a fine line between tenacity and sheer stubbornness, between chasing a dream and drowning while clutching a lost cause.